“Please don’t call me little master, I’m just a…”
“Just an ordinary health genius”
The term kidney deficiency is something we often hear.
In my youth, I thought it was a male issue.
Later, I gradually realized that everyone has kidneys,
and poor maintenance can lead to kidney deficiency.
However, it’s strange,
once we categorize kidney deficiency into kidney yang deficiency and kidney yin deficiency,
it suddenly becomes unfamiliar,
and distinguishing between the two becomes difficult.
Kidney deficiency is a broad topic with much content; today, I will first discuss the issue of kidney yang deficiency.
Deficiency means a lack or insufficiency.
Yang refers to warmth and heat.
Yang deficiency means a lack of warmth.
Kidney yang deficiency means the kidneys lack yang energy and warmth.
What are the specific manifestations of kidney yang deficiency?
① Cold intolerance
With insufficient kidney yang, one will definitely feel cold; many patients with kidney yang deficiency wear heavy clothing even when the weather isn’t too cold.
② Cold extremities
People with kidney yang deficiency have cold hands and feet all year round.
③ Lower back pain
The lower back is the residence of the kidneys; insufficient kidney yang cannot warm the lower back, leading to pain, sometimes making it hard to stand up straight.
④ Constipation
Constipation caused by kidney yang deficiency has dry stools at the beginning, but the latter part is not too dry; this is due to the weakened warming effect of kidney yang. Additionally, the lung’s ability to descend qi is insufficient, as the lung and large intestine are interrelated, and the lung cannot promote the movement of the large intestine.
⑤ Frequent nighttime urination
The kidneys are the water organ, governing urination. With kidney yang deficiency, the warming effect on the bladder is weakened, leading to a feeling of incomplete urination, often wanting to go again right after using the restroom.
In a normal person, urination should occur 7-8 times a day, with 7 times during the day and only once at night. However, those with kidney yang deficiency have insufficient yang energy, so they may not urinate during the day when they should, but at night, when yin energy increases, they feel the urge to urinate frequently.
How should kidney yang deficiency be regulated?
Let’s first look at a case:
Case Sharing
Uncle Zhang has always had a problem with lower back pain, especially when the weather gets cold, the situation worsens. He is more sensitive to cold than others and is particularly prone to colds and coughs, with frequent nighttime urination.
Over the years, he has taken many tonics, but the effects have not been good. This time he went to see a doctor, who diagnosed him with kidney yang deficiency. The doctor then added Yupingfeng (Jade Windscreen) to his previous prescription for kidney yang deficiency. After taking it for a while, he saw significant improvement.
In this case, we see that the doctor prescribed Yupingfeng for Uncle Zhang.
But we know that Yupingfeng is used to tonify lung qi! How can it also be used to regulate kidney yang deficiency?
Actually, this is adding an “assistant” while tonifying the kidneys, making the effect of tonifying the kidneys much more effective.
Do you know what the ancient screen was used for?
The screen mainly serves as a barrier or shield.
And our lungs are the shield for the kidneys.
Why do the kidneys need a shield?
Because patients with kidney yang deficiency primarily affect the lungs. The lungs are located above the kidneys, belonging to the upper jiao. In TCM, the lungs are considered a protective organ. They act as a cover, protecting the kidneys below.
For example, when we boil water, if we don’t cover it, it’s hard for the water to boil and it easily evaporates. If we cover it, the water boils easily.
Thus, the lungs are this cover, used to protect kidney yang and preserve kidney yang energy.
Now we understand that for patients with kidney yang deficiency, simply tonifying kidney yang may not be enough; we must also tonify lung qi together.
When tonifying kidney yang, lung qi tonifying herbs can be added throughout the year.
What herbs do we need to use?
First, the herbs for tonifying kidney yang: Shudi (Rehmannia glutinosa), Rougui (Cinnamon), Dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula).
Shudi is the root of Rehmannia that has been soaked in yellow wine.
Why use Shudi instead of Shengdi (Raw Rehmannia)? Because Shengdi has a stronger cooling effect, while Shudi, soaked in yellow wine, has warming properties.
Shudi enters the kidneys and acts as a “vanguard,” directly reaching the kidneys, nourishing the bone marrow, benefiting the muscles, and warming kidney yang.
Rougui also enters the kidney channel and has warming effects, mainly assisting Shudi in tonifying kidney yang.
(Rougui)
Dangshen primarily enters the lung channel, tonifying the lungs and securing the kidneys.
Why use Dangshen instead of Ren Shen (Ginseng)?
Ren Shen is very warming; since we have already added Shudi and Rougui, which are warming tonics, adding Ren Shen would create too much heat. Dangshen is milder but has a strong ability to tonify lung qi, which is what we need.
(Dangshen)
Additionally, the three herbs in Yupingfeng: Huangqi (Astragalus), Baizhu (Atractylodes), and Fangfeng (Siler).
Huangqi enters both the lung and kidney channels, tonifying qi and benefiting the lungs. Huangqi is often used in winter when making chicken soup for its ability to support yang and stabilize the body.
(Huangqi)
Baizhu enters the lung and spleen channels, strengthening the spleen and benefiting qi. Baizhu and Huangqi together enhance digestive function.
Fangfeng has the effects of securing the exterior, stopping sweating, benefiting qi, and preventing wind-cold. The combination of Huangqi and Fangfeng enhances the protective qi effect, making it harder for external pathogens to invade, effectively reinforcing the cover.
What are the dosages?
Shudi 10g, Rougui 3g, Dangshen 10g, Huangqi 15g, Baizhu 10g, Fangfeng 6g.
How to prepare the herbs?
First, soak these herbs together for an hour, as they are all tonifying herbs that require long cooking and soaking.
Then, take a clay pot or stainless steel pot, place the soaked herbs inside, and add enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 40 minutes, then pour out one bowl of decoction, add more water, and boil for another 25 minutes, then pour out another bowl. The two bowls of decoction combined should be no less than 300ml.
How to take it?
Take it warm, one hour after breakfast and dinner.
Remember, it must be taken after meals, not before. Also, it must be warm; drinking cold decoction can lead to diarrhea, which will negate the nourishing effect.
Note:This is a basic formula for benefiting the lungs and warming the kidneys.If you identify with the symptoms described above and suspect you have kidney yang deficiency, please be sure to go to the hospital for examination, as everyone’s situation is different, and some may have other diseases that cannot be generalized.
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—— Thank you for sharing, helping more families understand life better——
